Dawid H. de Swardt

Dawie was appointed in 1988 as a Research Assistant in the Ornithology Department of the National Museum. He was later promoted to Senior Museum Scientist and Head of the department.  He completed his National High Diploma in Foresty ( Conservation) in 1995 at Saasveld / PE Techinikon.

In 1998 he completed his Msc degree at the University of the Free State, with the thesis title “Aspects of the behaviour and ecology of Gurney’s Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi Verreaux, 1871, in Protea woodland, South Africa”. Dawie was consulted for the “The Atlas of Southern African Birds” vol 2 (1992) and the Handbook Birds of the World (2008, Volume 13). As a museum Ornithologist the main responsibility is the curation of the Ornithological collection and to do collecting field trips, mainly in the Free State.

Research projects deal with bird species such as Northern Black Korhaan, Gurney’s Sugarbirds, Malachite Sunbirds, Karoo and Drakensberg Prinias and African Rock Pipits. Dawie is also involved in bird ringing studies. He ringed over 16000 birds, of which the highest totals are Gurney’s Sugarbirds (927) and Malachite Sunbirds (1066). He also has a patagial tagging project on Secretarybirds in the Free State. Dawie is currently involved in the South African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2) and was also contributing to SABAP1 during 1987 – 1992. Dawie is a member of BirdLife South Africa and the Birds of Prey Working Group (of Endangered Wildlife Trust).